Health Care
Health Care Reform
Historically, our health care system has cost too much, didn’t cover enough people, and incentivized inefficiencies. With these concerns in mind, Congress passed and the President signed into law the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, commonly referred to as the ACA. The primary goal of the ACA was to increase access to affordable health care for the medically uninsured and underinsured.
Starting in October 2013, individuals began signing up for health insurance through the state health insurance exchanges established by the ACA – websites where individual consumers and small businesses could compare and shop for health insurance plans available in their state. Five key provisions of the law came into effect at the start of 2014: the individual mandate; pre-existing condition coverage; employer mandate; subsidies; and online health insurance exchanges. Further, the law enhanced the quality of healthcare for those on Medicare and disallowed health insurance providers from denying individuals coverage based on preexisting conditions. It closed the Medicare drug coverage gap known as the “donut hole” and allowed recent college graduates to remain on their parent’s health insurance plan.
Though the ACA was by no means a cure-all to challenges faced in the health care sector, it has provided a good opportunity to begin to rein in excessive costs, improve quality of care, and expand access. Moving forward, we must continue to monitor how these policies are implemented and make adjustments as necessary. One of the most challenging aspects will continue to be keeping costs under control, as well as diligent implementation of programs designed to meet this goal. For instance, the ACA contains a number of opportunities for meaningful changes to our inefficient fee-for-service system, but these changes must be aggressively implemented.
Health Information Technology
Advancing and streamlining our nation's health information technology system is one way in which to increase efficiency, as well as to improve the quality of care and reduce overall health care costs. In spite of providing the most advanced medical care in the world, America's healthcare system is overly reliant on paper-based prescription and record keeping techniques that are expensive, inefficient, and sometimes lead to fatal healthcare mistakes. Inadequate health information has resulted in medical errors, misdiagnosis, and needless test duplications that increase costs and reduce the overall quality of health care.
Health Information Technology (Health IT) has been a part of several important bills signed into law. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act included nearly $26 billion for hospitals and physicians to implement and improve health IT. Additionally, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act included certain requirements around health IT in health care facilities and provided a grant program for long-term care facilities to purchase, lease, develop, and implement certified electronic health record technology. Much more remains to be done to implement best use of health IT around the country and I am committed to ensuring that Congress does its part to ensure the success of health IT.
Women’s Health
Personal health decisions should be left between women, their doctor, and their family; not the United States Congress. In recent years, we have seen numerous attacks on women’s health through efforts to limit access to contraception and reproductive services. I will continue to support and advocate for policies that protect women’s right to choose and improve access to family planning services.
Prescription Drug Pricing
Access and affordability of prescription drugs is critical for our health care system. It is important that consumers are able to obtain affordable prescription drug coverage in a way that better regulates drug companies rather than passing the costs onto working Americans. I support funding and increasing the availability of resources for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ensure timely, but thorough research, and testing of products like generic prescription drugs and am committed to ensuring the FDA has the personnel, procedures and equipment necessary to protect consumers and improve the drug approval process.
I also support changes to and legislation that helps lower the cost of prescription drugs by attempting to incentivize more competition within the market. I will continue to work to enact policies that will help keep necessary medical treatments within reach for all those who need them.
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More on Health Care
The Medicare and Medicaid Access Project through Information Technology will create a demonstration project using health information technology to manage chronic disease for Medicare and Medicaid patients.
Rep. Adam Smith today joined a bipartisan majority in the House of Representatives in support of the final version of legislation to provide health care to 11 million children. The legislation is expected to reduce the number of uninsured children in Washington state by 42%. The State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) Reauthorization Act was approved by a vote of 290-135.
Congressman Adam Smith (WA-09) introduced legislation today to ensure that veterans discharged for “combat-related” injuries receive the benefits they have earned. In March 2008, the DoD narrowed the definition of “combat-related” and it has cost disabled veterans thousands of dollars in benefits. The legislation would revert back to the definition used prior to March 2008.
U.S. Rep. Adam Smith (WA-09.) voted with a bipartisan majority in favor of the Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) Reauthorization Act. The bill renews and improves SCHIP, providing health care coverage for 11 million children – preserving coverage for the 7 million children currently covered by SCHIP and extends it to 4 million uninsured children who are currently eligible for, but not enrolled in, SCHIP and Medicaid.
U.S. Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.) and a bipartisan majority in the House of Representatives yesterday passed landmark legislation to expand U.S. efforts to fight HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis around the world. Included in the legislation were provisions proposed by Smith and Rep. Elliot Engel (D-N.Y.) to combat tuberculosis. The bill passed by a vote of 303 - 115.
U.S. Rep. Adam Smith (WA-09.) voted with a bipartisan majority in favor of the Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) Reauthorization Act. The bill renews and improves SCHIP, providing health care coverage for 11 million children – preserving coverage for the 7 million children currently covered by SCHIP and extends it to 4 million uninsured children who are currently eligible for, but not enrolled in, SCHIP and Medicaid.
U.S. Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.) today supported K-through-12 education, college affordability, health care access and research, and job training by voting for H.R. 3043, a conference report package that included the Labor, Heath and Human Services and Education appropriations bill. Smith helped secure funds for South Sound health care and education projects included in the legislation.
The conference report passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 269 to 142. President Bush has threatened to veto the measure.
U.S. Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.) today voted to overcome the President’s misguided veto of the Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) Reauthorization Act, legislation that would provide health care coverage to more than 10 million low-income children. The vote to override the President required a two-thirds majority and failed by a vote of 273 to 156.
U.S. Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.) today issued the following statement following House passage of the Children’s Health and Medicare Protection (CHAMP) Act of 2007. The bill reauthorizes the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) and provides health insurance to 11 million eligible children. Smith voted for the legislation, which passed by a vote of 225 to 204.